


Four Christmas Gifts

by lady_flash



Category: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Series - Mackenzi Lee
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, MORE PERCY POV, Merry Christmas lads, because these boys are hornknee, christmas present to my discord server children, it is cute, monty wants percy to have a nice christmas, post-ladies guide domestic mercy, rated teen for a couple of rude words and references to sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_flash/pseuds/lady_flash
Summary: “Perhaps Christmas can be a little bit disappointing…” He grabs my hands and places them on his waist. “But I’m changing that this year, Percy.”I can’t help but laugh. Although it came completely as a surprise, his excitement is already starting to become contagious. I gently squeeze on his waist and take a deep breath.(Domestic Christmas Mercy for your enjoyment. Zero angst. Zero purpose).
Relationships: Henry "Monty" Montague/Percy Newton
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28





	Four Christmas Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> Just 4k of absolute fluff. Merry Christmas!!

It’s still dark in our bedroom when I wake, just slightly too dark for me to make out the clock and decide whether I should try and go back to sleep. I sigh and look across to the other side of the bed, taking in the sight of a messy pile of dark blonde. Although Monty’s post-sleep hair never fails to impress me, I immediately find myself wishing we were face to face so that I could get in a sly bit of fond staring before he also wakes.

Instead, I shuffle closer to him, gently draping my arm over his waist so as not to disturb him, and gently place a kiss onto the exposed skin on his neck. He doesn’t stir, so I smile at my success, but then before I can stifle it, I’m overtaken by an enormously loud yawn (I’ve been mocked for the theatricality of my yawns and stretches multiple times — but I still can’t seem to make them any more subtle.) I wince as Monty stirs and turns his head to me slightly, his eyes still mostly closed.

“That you, Perce?” He furrows his eyebrows at me slightly, stifling a yawn himself. “I think I was dreaming of a humpback whale dying loudly on a beach somewhere…”

“That’s… very specific, darling.” He narrows his eyes. “I’m sorry. I really did try not to wake you.”

“Did you?” I grin at him and he immediately stops his pretence of being annoyed, smiling slightly back at me. “It’s too early for that smile. I’m too tired to kiss it right off of your face.”

I tug on his waist slightly, hinting for him to roll over and face me properly and he happily obliges. I reach up and start to attempt smoothing his hair down slightly as he closes his eyes and hums slightly at the touch.

“Mmmm… is it bad?” He asks, still sounding terribly sleepy.

“It’s not your worst, but it’s certainly —” He cuts me off with a gasp, pushing my hands away and sitting up, suddenly looking perfectly awake.

“Percy! It’s Christmas!” I blink at him, not quite sure how to respond to this turn of events. “ _ Christmas Day _ , Percy!”

“I… yes, I think it is…” He grins at me, clapping his hands together like an excited child. “Monty, since when do you care about Christmas?”

“I  _ love _ Christmas! What’s not to love about Christmas, darling?” 

I don’t answer and so he pulls the sheets off of us both before climbing on top of me and pulling them back over, putting his knees on the other side of my hips, still grinning excitedly.

“Perhaps Christmas can be a little bit disappointing…” He grabs my hands and places them on his waist. “But I’m changing that this year, Percy.”

I can’t help but laugh. Although it came completely as a surprise, his excitement is already starting to become contagious. I gently squeeze on his waist and take a deep breath.

“Well, at least I’m not recovering from one of the worst seizures of my life. Already it is rather a large improvement on last year.” He winces slightly at the memory and I immediately feel rotten for mentioning it. “Come on then, my Christmas angel. What’s so good about this year?”

“ _ No _ seizures allowed, for a start.” He leans over me and knocks on the wood on our headboard in a rare display of superstition. “Also, we’re not in that pokey little flat this time.”

“Ah ah… no insulting the flat. You know how I loved that flat.”

“Yes, darling. I know you did.” He leans down and moves one of my curls off of my forehead, tucking it behind my ear. “But I’m still glad we got to relocate, especially once you started naming the cockroaches.” 

I pout at him. “And you wouldn’t even let me take Delilah and her children… poor souls stuck in poverty at Moorfields while we’re living in this grand home with plenty of space to spare...”

He stares at me blankly for a couple of seconds, then shakes it off. “This year, we have a beautiful home, we are warm, we have plentiful food. And most excitingly my darling, no _bloody cockroaches._ ”

I laugh and move one of my hands from his waist to the back of his head, tangling my fingers into his hair and pulling him down into a kiss. He smiles into it so I part my lips slightly to try and deepen it (I’m not entirely sure where this little mood of his is going, but I have a feeling I’d much rather stay here in bed with him, than go along with it). He resists however, pushing my shoulders slightly and pulling away. I whine slightly and try to chase another kiss but he sits back, grinning at me.

“Do you remember the Christmas party at my house when we were 15? When my father was on the warpath and we hid in the servants quarters with a bottle of stolen scotch?”

“God... I wanted to kiss you so badly that day.” I reply. He raises his eyebrows. “You drove me utterly mad, you know that don’t you?”

“Oh, I do know it.” He pokes my chest gently. “But I still enjoy hearing about it.”

I roll my eyes slightly. “You were foxed and kept trying to get me to dance with you. Demanding I lead, with my hands on your waist. I almost lost my mind.”

“Oh Perce…“ He gives me a sheepish grin, gently stroking my cheek. “I was really the biggest idiot on earth, wasn’t I?”

“Possibly. The fact you didn’t notice I was desperately trying to hide a partial the entire time doesn’t really add much evidence to the contrary…” Monty cackles in delight, throwing his head back slightly. “Such happy Christmas memories…”

“We’ll make new ones!” He leans down again, planting a gentle kiss on my nose. “Starting with your first gift.”

“My  _ first _ gift? How many are there?”

“Well, that would be telling!” He wiggles his eyebrows. “Ready, darling?”

I give him a look and he grins, shimmying down underneath the sheets, kissing his way down my chest and stomach until his head disappears from view. 

  
  


*************

A while later, when the sun has finally started to make an appearance, Monty pulls me out of bed and down the stairs, dragging me towards the house’s main sitting room (without even letting me change out of my nightshirt). 

It’s been several months since we agreed to move into Platt’s home to ensure his things are kept in order, but the novelty of having an entire house to ourselves, without prying parents or even servants, has yet to wear off. 

I stop short when we reach the sitting room and I am greeted with a sight I truly did not expect.

“Monty… there’s a tree in the house.” He grins at me, tugging my hand and dragging me towards it. “Monty!  _ Why is there a tree in the house _ ?”

“It’s your second gift!” 

He finally lets go of me and practically skips over to the tree. It’s taller than he is (although that isn’t much of a claim), and covered in what seem to be blown glass orbs of various colours - red, yellow and white. He’s also surrounded the shelves around it with candles, which he is currently making fast work of lighting with a pack of matches.

I grimace slightly, still confused. “Are you… attempting to set the entire house alight, sweetheart?”

“Shut up.” He motions around us. “I’m creating…”

“Ambivalence?” He shoots me a look. “Seriously, darling… the tree?”

“It’s a traditional Christmas tree!” I stare at him and he sighs, as if it’s obvious. “Johanna told me about it! You see, in Germany… they find a tree every Christmas, put it in their homes and decorate it with festive ornaments.”

“Germans have indoor trees?” I take a look at the tree again, walking over to get a closer look. On further inspection, it is rather beautiful, if unusual.

“Johanna had it sent over. She had these sent, too.” He motions to the ornaments hanging on the branches, picking up a particularly detailed ornament in the shape of a star, with a tiny sprig of holly inside. “Aren’t they gorgeous?”

He stares at it with such reverence, and looks up at me with a smile so wide that my knees almost buckle slightly at just how lovely he is. I smile back and take it from him gently, holding it up to the light of one of the candles.

“Monty… this is beautiful. All of it.”

He claps his hands together. “You like it? Oh thank God. Getting it all in here without your knowledge was a logistical bloody nightmare.”

I laugh. “You’re ridiculous. Why did you go to so much effort?”

“Because… I don’t know.” He takes the ornament from me and hangs it back on the branch, before turning back to me and sliding his arms around my waist, standing flush against me and tilting his face up to mine. “I just wanted to spoil you, I suppose.”

“You don’t need to spoil me.” I gently hold his jaw, gently stroking the dimple in his chin with my thumb. “Do you not see how I look at you every time I wake and see your face? You’re gift enough. Christmas be damned.”

He blushes slightly, and I can’t help but feel a little smug about that. “Well… as much as I would like to believe that, darling… I still feel as though I have many years of being a selfish, thoughtless prick to make up for. Therefore I feel you should let me spoil you senseless. At least for the next... “ He pretends to count on his fingers. “Seventy or so years.”

“Well in that case…” I gently kiss his nose and he closes his eyes, smiling. “Spoil away. And I love the tree. Very much.”

“I think you were supposed to tell me I was never a selfish, thoughtless prick…” I laugh slightly and he opens his eyes, staring up at me. “I think I just… I feel like I always need to prove to you how much I adore you.”

“You prove it every day, idiot. Just by being here with me. Through everything.”

“Ah.. yes. You’re right.” He rolls his eyes. “You’re just completely intolerable, it’s a wonder I’ve lasted as long as I have. Absolute nuisance of a man.”

I grin. “I’m not  _ perfect _ , you know.”

“Yes, Perce. You are  _ absolutely _ perfect. I mean... couldn’t you at least have turned out to be terrible in bed?”

“Well.. I can try to be? If it will make you feel better?” He pinches my waist and rolls his eyes. “I’m serious, darling. This is all lovely, but… I would be happy just with this. With you. Holding me and looking at me with those ridiculous blue eyes.”

“Crab eyes,” he interjects.

“Beautiful crab eyes.” I lean down and give him a long, lingering kiss. He sighs into it and I move my free hand to his back, stroking it gently. I pull away just enough to speak against his mouth. “Merry Christmas, Mo—”

“Shit!” I jump as he suddenly pulls away, looking over my shoulder. “It’s snowing! It’s bloody  _ snowing _ !”

He runs over to the window and I turn around, looking out. It is snowing. Heavily. He looks back at me, smiling so hard it looks almost painful. 

“Quickly, Perce! Get our boots!” He scrambles around, looking for the key to open up the front door. “This is absolutely fucking  _ perfect _ !”

  
  
  


*************

  
  
  


Although he seemed determined to run straight outside wearing nothing but his nightshirt and a pair of boots, I managed to slow Monty down enough to convince him to dress before we headed outside (“ _ We are already both half-deaf and epileptic, we don’t also need a joint bout of pneumonia _ .”) 

We put on some winter clothes, fingerless gloves and a couple of the least terrible hats I’ve managed to knit, before grabbing thick blankets from a store cupboard. I make us both a cup of hot cocoa before we head outside onto the house’s porch.

We settle down onto a seat outside, Monty sits with one of his legs draped over mine, and I pull the blankets tightly around us. The snow is still coming down quickly, and has begun to settle over the gardens. 

“I don’t remember it ever snowing in Cheshire.” Monty says, snuggling into me as closely as possible.

“We had snow fights, Monty…” He looks up at me. “We built your father out of snow when we were fourteen. And you pissed on him.”

He looks forward, confused. “Why would I have forgotten such a happy memory?”

“I think the copious amount of gin you consumed between ages sixteen and eighteen may have caused some damage to your brain... “ I reply. I’m joking. But he frowns.

“Christ. Maybe you’re right.” I nudge him and he looks at me again. “You know, I can’t remember the last time I craved a drink.”

I smile. “That’s wonderful.”

“No, wait! I do. When you were  _ shot _ . I rather fancied a couple of fingers of whiskey that day.” I grimace, leaning my head on top of his. “Please don’t ever get shot again. That was terribly unpleasant.”

“Well perhaps if you stop dragging me into your swashbuckling adventures…”

“I didn’t drag you into that one.” I raise an eyebrow at him, ”In fact I insisted on going alone, but you tagged along…”

“That… is absolutely not what happened. You can’t even go out for bread without me coming with you.” He shrugs. “And I wasn’t going to leave Felicity out there doing god knows what.”

He scoffs slightly. “She’s _ my _ sister, Perce.”

“She’s both of our sister. I would gladly get shot for her again.” He looks shocked. “Wouldn’t you?”

He frowns, thinking hard, then looking forward, watching the snow fall onto the trees. “Can I perhaps think it over?”

I laugh. “You’re a menace.”

He smiles slightly and I reach out to stroke his cheek so that he looks up at me again. I lean in and kiss him. His lips are warm and they taste like a gorgeous combination of sweet and bitter from the hot cocoa. I don’t think I could ever tire of kissing him. Sweet, gentle kisses like this are my favourite. (Except when my favourite Monty kisses are deep and lingering. Or rough and biting. I am a fickle man, but as long as his mouth is against mine, I am perfectly content.)

“Perce…” he mumbles against my mouth, without really breaking the kiss. “This is rather ruining your third gift.”

I pull back. “ _ Third _ gift?”

“Yes.” He unwraps the blanket from around himself, grinning and pulling himself up. “Wait right here.”

He hands me his cocoa and heads back into the house. He’s gone a couple of minutes before he comes back out, looking slightly sheepish and holding something behind his back.

“What is... “ He pulls it out and holds it in front of him, grinning. It’s a kissing bough. A rather obnoxiously loud kissing bough. Made up of mistletoe, sprigs of holly and other greenery.

“I meant to hang it over the bed. I forgot.” He walks back over and climbs back onto the seat next to me. “But here it is!”

“Monty… did we really need a kissing bough to be reminded to kiss? We spend a rather large percentage of our time attached at the mouth.” He curls his lip slightly. “But it is beautiful!”

“It’s the  _ thought  _ that counts, Perce.” He holds it above our heads and pouts. “Another kiss? A nice, Christmas kiss?”

I laugh. “And what makes a Christmas kiss different from any other kiss?”

“It’s under a kissing bough, you idiot.” He leans in, brushing his nose against mine, before leaning in for another kiss. I playfully nip at his bottom lip. “Ouch! That’s not terribly Christmassy of you, darling.”

“Well you’re the one who’s suddenly awfully obsessed with Christmas. I wish to bite you as much as I would on any other day.” 

I try to do it again and he laughs, trying to dodge me. I take the kissing bough from his hands and toss it onto the ground with a large crash and he gasps theatrically, before pouncing on me for another kiss.

We stay like that for a while, wrapped up in eachother, when we’re interrupted by the sound of a very heavy stomp on the wood of the patio. I hear the sound of someone pointedly clearing their throat and I break apart from Monty, looking over.

“ _Felicity?_ ” I gasp, wiping my mouth.

“Hello Percy.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m sure fornicating on the porch is a perfectly acceptable way to start the day in your world but... any chance I can come in and warm up by the fire?”

  
  
  
  


*************

  
  
  


We relocate inside with our surprise guest, just as the snow starts to turn into rather less magical sleet and drizzle. I make Felicity a cocoa as she sits with Monty by the fire, filling him in about her journey to England.

“Well thank heavens we’ve managed to scrape together a fair amount of money over the last few months since you first asked me to visit. It’s funny that I can travel in the bowels of a pirate ship fairly comfortably but the thought of using a public coach still turns my stomach.”

“A few months?” I hand her the cocoa and she smiles gratefully. I look at Monty. “You’ve been planning this for that long?”

“Well, you know… my sister, the great adventurer. I had to ensure she made room for us in her diary.” I look impressed and he grins at me. “Pleasantly surprised then, darling?”

“Of course I am. This is wonderful, Feli. It’s so good to see you.”

“Even though I interrupted…” She motions vaguely with her hand. ”Whatever that was outside?”

“Oh Felicity, darling.” Monty cuts in. “That was nothing. If you’d shown up ten minutes later, however…”

I sigh as Felicity scowls. “At least let her warm up a little before making her want to leave again, my love.”

He grins at me and then at Felicity, who rolls her eyes. Despite his teasing, I can tell he’s ecstatic she’s here. Although she’s no fan of physical affection, he’s sat as near to her as possible without touching, and his knee is bouncing up and down excitedly.

“So, Monty...” I say, sitting down on the chair behind him, so that he’s sat near my feet. He looks up at me, wrapping an arm around one of my legs. “Is this my fourth and final gift? A visit from Felicity?”

“Oh God, no. What a terrible gift that would be.” He jostles my leg slightly.

“Charmed.” Felicity mumbles. “As ever.”

“But she did bring your final gift. At least I hope she did.” He looks over at her. “Feli?”

She smirks slightly and reaches into her pocket, bringing out a small velvet pouch and handing it to him.

“Algiers’ finest.” She gives him a fond smile. “Hopefully it’s what you were after.”

He hands it over to me and I furrow my eyebrows slightly, holding it as he looks at me, looking hopeful. I open the pouch and pull out a chain, with a pendant on the end shaped like a fiddle. It’s beautiful. I swallow slightly, not sure how to react.

“Look closer, darling.” He pulls himself onto his knees, so that he can take a closer look too. “It has an inscription.”

I turn the pendant over and see that it is indeed inscribed with some musical notes. I recognise them, but I’m not entirely sure why.

“A song?”

He laughs. “Yes, Perce. A song. It’s the song that was playing in the music hall. The first time we kissed.” My jaw drops slightly. “It is the song, isn’t it? You told me you have it playing in your head sometimes…”

“Yes. It’s… yes. That’s the song.” I stare at him. “Monty…”

“Are you... okay?” He touches my cheek. “I thought it was a jolly nice gift, but you rather look like you may be sick.”

“No! It’s… Sorry. This is all suddenly feeling rather overwhelming. The visit from Felicity, the bough, the tree, the…” I glance briefly at Felicity. “...other gift.”

“Well, I told you I wanted to spoil you!” He smiles, gently touching my bottom lip with his thumb. “You like it, don’t you?”

“I love it, Monty. I love it. Christ.” I lean down so that I can kiss him. “I love you. So much.”

Felicity sits back, sitting her cocoa and watching us, looking pleased with herself. “I knew I’d found a good one.”

I give him one last kiss, then frown. “I didn’t get you a single gift.”

He scoffs, taking the necklace from me and leaning over me to put it around my neck, absent-mindedly playing with my curls after he fixes the clasp.

“I don’t want gifts, Perce. Honestly. Don’t even think on it a moment longer.” 

He sits back next to Felicity, smiling at me. I watch him for a few moments, then suddenly jump up.

“I know!”

He frowns as I head out of the room. I quickly take the stairs up to the master bedroom and crouch down to get my fiddle case from underneath our bed. I stroke it slightly, smiling to myself before heading back downstairs. Monty looks down at my hands and his face lights up slightly when he sees what I’m carrying.

“I wrote you something”, I explain.

“You… a song? You  _ wrote _ me a song?” He looks overwhelmed and I laugh.

“I’ve been infatuated with you since I was thirteen years old, my darling. I have written you  _ severa _ l songs.” I take the fiddle and my bow out of the case. “But this is the most recent.”

Monty grins, standing up and grabbing Felicity’s wrist to pull her up too, sitting down in the chair opposite me and pulling his sister down next to him. She pushes him away slightly but looks up at me and smiles. She’s always been keen on listening to me play, even when I was just starting to practice. 

“If you don’t like the tune… please lie. Because it’s all I have to offer you.”

“Well that’s an absolute lie.” He pauses, then taps his wrist as if tapping a watch. “Well come on now, darling. We don’t have all day!”

I narrow my eyes at him, then take a deep breath, picking up the fiddle and starting to play. I glance up and I see Monty practically melt back into the cushions on the chair, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them. I smile slightly as I catch his eye, then close my eyes, concentrating on playing the song as perfectly as possible.

When I finish and look up, I can see that Monty’s eyes are slightly wet, although he’s attempting to hide most of his face behind his legs. Felicity immediately bursts into applause.

“Oh, Percy! That was beautiful! Are you _ sure _ it was about my brother?” Monty elbows her. “Play it again?”

“I could…” I look at Monty. He still hasn’t said anything. “Did you like it?”

“I… am trying my best to remember the presence of my sister and not absolutely ravish you.” I laugh loudly and Felicity scowls. “Please play it again.”

I smile and begin the song again. Monty grins and stands up, offering his hand to Felicity.

“Care to dance?”

“With you? After listening to how badly you want to ravish Percy?” She narrows her eyes. “Is it safe?”

“Felicity! Whatever do you think of me?” He gestures his hand towards her again and she sighs, letting him pull her up.

I watch as he awkwardly twirls her around to the sound of the fiddle. She lets out a surprised laugh as he dips her. It’s the least elegant dancing I have ever been fortunate to witness and I love it emphatically. He pulls her back up and places his hands on her waist, leaving a comfortable distance between them and I notice her desperately trying to keep the smile off of her face. He grins at me over her shoulder and I grin back.

I lose my place in the song entirely. But I can’t bring myself to care.  
  
  



End file.
